In a vehicle having an automatic transmission, a rotating-type clutch assembly may be used as a torque-transmitting device for smoothly engaging or coupling a rotating engine crankshaft with a stationary driveshaft to thereby transmit torque from the crankshaft to the vehicle drive wheels. Likewise, the same clutch assembly is used to subsequently disengage the coupled shafts to interrupt the power transfer between the shafts and permit, for example, smooth shifting between the various gears of a planetary gear set. Clutch assemblies or clutches are typically positioned within a separate housing contained within an outer transmission case. Clutches are actuated or engaged using a clutch-apply mechanism such as a piston, which is commonly energized by a controllable supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid. A reduction in clutch-apply pressure releases or disengages the clutch, with the disengagement of the clutch often assisted by a biasing spring or other return mechanism, and likewise, an increase in the clutch-apply pressure will actuate or engage the clutch.
A common rotating-type clutch is a one-way clutch, which as the name implies is specially designed to hold or retain a rotating force or torque in only one direction of rotation, and freely rotate or “freewheel” in the opposite direction, thus enabling relatively smooth and efficient gear shifting. However, due to the inherent inability of a one-way clutch to hold torque in two rotational directions, a redundant clutch, commonly referred to as a “coast clutch”, may be employed in tandem with the one-way clutch specifically to hold or retain the torque in the opposite or reverse rotational direction, such as during vehicle coasting and under certain reverse rotational conditions. As an alternative to a redundant coast clutch, a selective one-way clutch may be used. However, selective clutching devices may not be optimal for synchronizing the disparate relative rotational speeds of the outer and inner clutch races, which if not optimally synchronized may adversely affect gear shifting smoothness and efficiency, and/or impart high impact loading.